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Centaurs [masculine: Kï¿½ntauroi, feminine: Kentaurides] are human to the torso but from the torso downwards they have the fore legs, hind legs and body of a horse. They come in large variety of races and colors, and their human hair is usually the same color as that their mane would be. Race of their human parts is not an issue. They are their own species and inter-species breeding with humans is not possible, and breeding with horses has not been tried as centaurs, a prideful race would see the intercourse as bestiality and an affront to nature.

Centaurs rarely have any emotion but contempt for human, or any species related to humans. They have been classified as beasts since 1811, after refusing to share the title with hags and vampires (this suggests that they do not have a good relationship with these races) and mermaids followed suit in the following year. Centaurs also protested the original move to not classify mermaids as beings simply because they did not seem to speak in a human tongue above water which suggests that both species have an amicable relationship with each other at the very least. Centaurs are currently endemic to the Forbidden Forest in Scotland.

Each herd is lead by two herd-leaders, a mare and a stallion, who are not neccessarily bound together as life-partners. It is the herd leaders responsibility to ensure the success and stability of the herd, and their duties include keeping the herd in order, protectingthem and delivering punishment to misbehaving members. It is usual for leaders to have successors determined by the time that centaurs assume the title although the successors are usually young foals or filly's at the time. If this not the case then an herd-leaders are given until their fifty-seventh spring to choose a successor. The period of time that elapses when there is no successor is often considered a period of great chaos.

Centaur society is very hierarchical with every centaur made aware of their personal rank in relationship to others at an early age. It is a common trait within younger centaurs to strive and improve their own rank in station in life. As a hunter-gatherer race they highly prize health, talent and ability which they use to determine rank with those who are unhealthy, missing limbs, gelded, weak or stupid being on the lowest rank of society. The highest rank is that of herd-leader, followed by their successors, and children, and from the point forward rank is determined by skill.

Religion, and Culture

Centaurs are nomadic, territorial forest dwellers who exist in heirachial hunter-gatherer herd communities which have on average between 10 and 50 members. Each herd has a sizeable amount of land within the Forbidden Forest where they roam freely, settling in places for only a short amount of time before moving on and allowing the land to renew itself. They dress usually in hand-woven fabrics, or furs and are fond of jewellry. As a race that shares their ancestry with horses they are not particularly dimorphic in activities and are equally capable and treated.

They believe in multiple gods and deities - their own origin myth infact states that they are descended from the immortal centaur Chiron. To centaurs religion is almost an entirely private, individual and personal practice, only rarely openly celebrated or even acknowlegded. Centaurs believe in the existence of nature gods and deities though each centaur tends to worship one in particular. They will often carry around an amulet in the image of this deity for good luck. These deities are as simple as an animal, plant, constellation, weather pattern, season or emotion. Age does not seem to affect centaurs as the elderly often go off by themselves and disappear. Because of they do not seem to die of old age there is a belief that they retain the immortality of the gods among many centaurs, though they can be killed. believe themselves to be decended from Chiron. They use their percieved divine heritage as a justification for superiority over humanity.

Species Traits

Centaurs favor nature over technology

In-tune with nature and natures signs

Skilled at:

Archery

Divination

Burning the herb mallowsweet and sage to refine divings but must be careful or be enthralled.

Healing Magic

Astronomy

Speaking in Tongues

No alcohol tolerance, easily drunk and behaves badly when drunk

Avoids contact with wizards, witches and muggles as a general rule

Believes in superiority to humans, and that consenting to work for them is degrading.

Male centaurs and female centaurs are the same size and have the same abilities as the opposing gender (save for the ability to produce milk and bear children)

They have twice as many torso organs as most animals: four lungs, two hearts etc. and two stomachs. Food is digested by the human stomach before it is digested by the horses stomach which allows a centaur's body to process meat.

Celebrations

Beginning of Spring (February 1/2) - A quiet festival, spent with friends and family, with picnics, gift exchanges and journey's to sacred forest-shrines and groves. Seen as the first day of the year.

Beginning of Summer (May 1) - Fertility Festival accompanied by bonfires, dancing in a sunwise direction, jumping over hot coals for luck, and prays for a fertile year and with lots of food.

Midsummer (21 June) - Festival where centaurs gather and compete against each other in athletic competitions of skill. It is the skill which they display here that can allow a centaur to increase it's rank in a herd or be invited to join another herd based on their skill. Older folk will often recruit centaurs as hunters or protectors based on their performance in these games.

Beginning of Winter (November 1) - Festival for the Dead and final Harvest. accompanied by bonfires and a feast. It is the traditional time for slaughter, preparation of winter stores and all herd fires are lit from the central bonfire. Usually when the ceremony of becoming takes place due to the gathering and height of divine power, though this period is the best time for any attempt at divination. Masks and body paint in swirling are often worn by centaurs to imitate their otherworldly breathren who are said to walk the land on this and the previous night.

Midwinter (21 December) - The day and night of the winter solstice, is considered to be especially unlucky for centaurs. Centaurs will herd together quite closely and the entire day and night is spent quietly in fast. Nothing is supposed to be done or said and instead the centaurs pray for the sun to rise the next day. Young centaurs usually attend their ceremony to adulthood on this night.

Ceremony of Naming - A Foal is named their first name at one week old. This is their childhood name which will accompany them throughout childhood.

Ceremony of Becoming - The event that represents the transition for a foal to become a colt or filly. The foal is taken to visit the elders and a divination horoscope is drawn up predicting the foals future. The foal will then be paired with a stallion or mare mentor in accordance to the path of the horoscope.

Ceremony of Adulthood - This is the most important event in a young centaur's life as it determines their place in society. A young centaur is sent into the deep forest to spend the 24hours away from society to become an adult in mind. When they return they are to put away childish things, including their name from childhood and take their place as mares/stallions.

Ceremony of Binding - In which two centaurs are bound together for the purpose of an alliance between them. Centaurs who are bound together are referred to as 'life partners'. This is a centaur's form of marriage, however it is not a permaenent partnership as the name suggests and can be dissolved at any time.

Life stages

They refused to be described the age of terms of a human, which they find demeaning and are generally referred to by horse terms.

Explaining Centaur Ages

Animals are different from humans in the fact that they are required to be able to survive as quickly as possible. Horses are able to walk within moments of being born for survival reasons and there is nothing to support that centaurs would be any different. To accomadate this centaurs within their first three years of life will grow at four times the human rate and by the time they are three will appear to look like a twelve year old.

Formula for Child Centaur = Desired Physical Age divided by 4.

However such a growth rate is impractical when a centaur reaches puberty as they are fully qualified to breed and be as strong as an adult which is why from puberty onwards the growth rate becomes four times as long and then onwards into adult hood.

Centaurs have a gestation period of 22-24 months, similar to elephants due to their size and need for a development of the human portion which needs to be physically mature enough to walk a few hours after birth. Female centaurs will usually give birth during the day, in order to avoid being vulnerable at night and can force their own labor to halt if they don't think they are safe. Females centaurs, like sharks, will not give birth to undeveloped children, and their abilities in divination stem from this original purpose. The possibility of conception and survival of twins is 1:100 000+, leaving the possibility of doppelgangers in the family as far more likely.

Foal - (age 0-1)

As centaurs are part animal their young only go through a brief period of infancy which lasts a few hours as the foal becomes steady on its feet. They are born with the appearance of toddlers and term foal is used to indicate their first year of life which involves a rapid maturation in which by their first birthday appear almost at age five. They suckle their mothers for a length of time varying from 4 to 7 months.

[Human Appearance Age 1-5]

Yearling (age 1-2)

By the end of their second year a centaur appears to be about ten years old and while they are considered to be full adults and sexually mature by other centaurs. It is after this first milestone that the elder centaurs will draw up a star-horoscope for the life of the yearling and often at the conclusion of this a a yearling will be taken under the wing of an elder centaur who has a similar star chart and be mentored by the elder centaur. They are not expected to bear their own young for quite some time however as youth is not seen to be to the advantage of a centaur . It is at this cusp that yearlings are made aware of their rank in society. It is at this age also that the successor candidates are often discovered.

[Human Appearance Age 5-12].

Colt (male) or Filly (female) (age 3-54)

As a colt or filly a centaur's maturation slows down and begins to stabilize. It takes approximately fifty or more years for centaurs to stop growing, with males and females having identical growth patterns and maturity levels. There is no sexual dimorphism between genders, and they are expected to mate with similarly aged species. Males and Females are treated equally between genders and they are the most likely the most 'modern' of races, considering their attitudes. As colts of filly's are nearing the transition to stallion and mare some are likely to form small groups, or fianna's, and venture off into the forest to attempt to start their own herds, go on adventures or do great deeds, however most will rejoin the groups after they are finishing experiencing independence.

[Human Appearance 12-25]

Stallion (male) or Mare (female):(age 54+)

Centaurs are now considered full grown adults and fully responsible. They have finished their period of education.

[Human Appearance 25+]

Death:

Can occur through all mortal means, anything that can kill a horse or human being can kill a centaur. If dosage in involved Centaurs weigh more.

If they reach stage where they are considered to be old and possibly see their own future in the skies they leave the herd discreetly and die, often old centaurs will leave the herd in groups and retire into the depth of the forest. For this reason it is unknown how long centaurs live for naturally as the centaurs are not seen again. It is presumed however that centaurs can live to be well over two hundred if they aren't killed by disease, rough living etc.

BEST WAY TO INSULT A CENTAUR

Centaurs are very prideful species. They do not take well to be insulted.

Call them a halfbreed or near human

Calling a centaur a mule is worse than calling a person an idiot.

Insinuating that a centaur had parentage that weren't centaurs and were horses or donkeys is like telling a person that there mother slept with a gorilla, worse if you tell them they are related to a donkey.

Insinuate Bestiality with any equine or primate.

The centaur believes that mating with humans is also a form of bestility. They, meaning the centaurs, are more superior after all.